Staff at Taree’s Salvation Army Family Store were shocked on Monday morning when it was discovered multiple bags filled with clothes, household items and children’s toys were strewn across the footpath out the front of the store.

Described as one of the worst item dumps in the store’s history, it took several staff members up to two hours to remove the items from the footpath and resulted in three ute loads being taken to the Bucketts Way Waste Management Facility.

Some of the bags were left unopened and could be donated.

Store manager Danielle Volkers said items that are removed from bags and thrown on the ground cannot be donated or sold due to health reasons.

Danielle has encouraged people donating items to use charity bins or bring the items into the store during opening hours to allow all items to be salvaged and given to those in need.

“If they can just hang onto it for another day until we’re open and bring it into the shop when we’re open then we’ll know it’s going to the right places and we can get it to the people that need it,” Danielle said.